Questions and Negatives of Short Verbs

Level 3

To ask a question with a short verb, soften its first letter: Welaist ti'r ffilm? (Did you see the film?). To make it negative, add ddim after the subject: Welais i ddim (I didn't see).

How It Works

Questions: soft mutation.

  • Welaist ti'r ffilm? — Did you see the film? (gwelaist)
  • Brynodd hi fara? — Did she buy bread? (prynodd)
  • Gest ti amser da? — Did you have a good time? (cest)
  • Ddaeth e? — Did he come? (daeth)
  • Weli di hi yfory? — Will you see her tomorrow? (gweli)

Past questions are answered Do or Naddo; see do and naddo. In formal writing a question may begin with a: A welaist ti...?

Negatives: ddim after the subject. The verb takes mixed mutation in careful Welsh: c, p, t → ch, ph, th, and the other letters soften. See mixed mutation.

  • Welais i ddim byd — I didn't see anything
  • Phrynais i ddim llaeth — I didn't buy any milk (speech: Brynais i ddim)
  • Ches i ddim amser — I didn't have time (speech: Ges i ddim)

After ddim. A following indefinite noun keeps its first letter, because ddim has taken the mutation: Phrynais i ddim bara. Before a definite object (the film, him, Siân), use mo instead of ddim: Welais i mo'r ffilm. See mo and ddim o.

No mi or fe is used in questions or negatives; see mi and fe + soft mutation.

Examples (6)

  1. Welaist ti'r ffilm?

    Did you see the film?

    Gwelaist softens to welaist.

  2. Brynodd hi fara?

    Did she buy bread?

    Prynodd softens to brynodd; the object bara softens to fara.

  3. Gest ti amser da? Do.

    Did you have a good time? Yes.

    Cest softens to gest.

  4. Welais i ddim byd.

    I didn't see anything.

    Gwelais → welais in the negative.

  5. Phrynais i ddim llaeth.

    I didn't buy any milk.

    Careful Welsh: mixed mutation, prynais → phrynais. Speech also says Brynais i ddim llaeth.

  6. Ches i ddim cyfle i ddweud diolch.

    I didn't get a chance to say thank you.

    Careful Welsh: ces → ches. Speech often says Ges i ddim cyfle.

Common Mistakes

  • Softening the noun after ddim.

    Brynais i ddim fara.
    Brynais i ddim bara.

    After ddim, an indefinite noun keeps its first letter. The mutation has already gone onto ddim.

  • Using ddim before a definite object.

    Welais i ddim y gêm.
    Welais i mo'r gêm.

    Before a definite object, use mo (short for ddim o).

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Questions and Negatives of Short VerbsLevel 3

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Questions and negatives of short verbs use soft and mixed mutation, answered do/naddo in the past.

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Words in This Pattern

dim